Vendor Writing: William B.

My New Job

BY WILLIAM B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

I've said before, "I’m still kicking," but I’ve been struggling with my medical problems a lot lately. I keep going though because The Contributor has given me so much to live for.

Recently, one of my customers stopped me while I was selling the papers. He offered me a beer, and I declined, so then he offered me a cold bottle of water. Well that happened a few times and I said I’m gonna ask him to get me a job. So I knocked on his door and told him I needed a certain amount of hours at a job to get my social security in order and he said, “I think we can do that.” Those were his exact words. He’s doing all the research on how many hours I can work. He even came down with me to Room In The Inn to talk to them about me working.

He told me he’d give me a chance. I said “Sir, I won’t let you down.” And he said, “I will give you the chance to prove that to me.” I was a little late the first day, but I made up for that by showing how good I am at working with my hands and using tools. He started me off at drilling holes in these big whiskey barrels and cleaning up after that. I get breaks whenever I need to rest. I get to eat lunch. That’s the kind of person I like working for. Someone who lets me work on my time. That’s really important for people who have medical problems to be able to work like that.

I haven’t been able to go out much lately though because I’ve been sick off and on. I found out my blood is low. I’m anemic and have some other things wrong with my immune system, so the doctor told me to drink a whole lot of water.

So, if it hadn’t been for this man here giving me the opportunity to get a little extra money, I wouldn’t have enough money to get my papers or have food in my home. Food stamps only get you so far. If it hasn’t been for this man who gave me the chance to prove myself, I probably would have gave up, and I’m not a quitter by no means, but I was in the process of wanting to stop.

The Contributor is fulfilling a dream for me. I’m a street entertainer playing my music and selling my papers. It’s given me the opportunity to meet people from all over, and I mean all over: Canada, Japan, Australia, Alaska, Texas, Russia. Some people want to take a video of me and I say, “I’m not bashful, I’m from Nashville!” They tell me I’m a good spokesman for The Contributor, and I hope I am because I started playing my spoons downtown before I even started selling the paper. I’ve even done a video for The Contributor! And I feel good about that. That’s how I feel like I’m in the business. I’d like to invest in music and into video because I got everything I need to do it, I just don’t know how to set it up.

I’ve got my good days and I’ve got my bad days, so I can’t get out as much as I want. But, selling The Contributor is my best medicine because it takes my mind off my problems. I want people to know that this can work for them too. Anyone who wants to sell.